NFIB has joined the lawsuit against the federal law. The Texas Association of Business has called for its repeal. Of 21,000 members that received the online survey link because they belong to one of the groups, 919 responded.

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“I am not a member of those groups because their politics don't align with mine. That doesn't make me any less valid as a small business owner,” said Haas.

Combs acknowledged that the survey wasn't scientific but nevertheless trumpeted its findings in a 15-page report.

“While we expected to find some skepticism regarding health care reform among the respondents, the overwhelming weight of opposition was truly surprising. Only 3.4 percent of the employers we surveyed believe the legislation will be good for their business,” wrote the GOP comptroller, who has maintained the “burdensome federal regulation” will negatively affect Texas.

Haas has a different view. She's a Democrat but said she keeps her politics strictly separate from her policy consulting work, which specializes in school finance and public education issues. She said it's ludicrous to believe we don't already pay the tab for uninsured people. And, said the former Texas Education Agency and Legislative Budget Board staffer, health insurance is a big consideration for would-be entrepreneurs.

“I could never have left and started a business if I didn't have a husband with health insurance,” she said.

The full survey findings, included in Combs' report, might give fodder to reform supporters as well as foes. While 12.5 percent said they'd reduced staffing due to health care reform — and nearly 25 percent said they expected to eliminate or reduce coverage — more than a third hadn't made or didn't expect changes in those areas.

But he added, “Obviously, this is happening in a very political context, and in a state in which the leadership as well as the organizations that seem to be contributing to this are on the record as being opposed to the Affordable Care Act. So I sort of look at it as a political document.”

Haas questioned why Combs didn't survey more businesses since she has their contact information on file. Combs spokeswoman Lauren Willis said the agency didn't want to use state lists “for privacy and security reasons,” so turned to the business groups.

As for the cost to taxpayers, Combs said her office can do unlimited surveys through SurveyMonkey for $300 a year. Willis said printing 30 copies of the report cost about $60. Willis said it took about 30 days to put together the first draft, but she didn't have an estimated staff cost because employees work on multiple projects.

When I'd asked a day earlier, Sullivan texted me much the same: “No change in Gov. Perry's presidential choice.” Perry was a little less direct when a Dallas Morning News reporter asked during Thursday's tornado-damage tour whether it's time for him to back frontrunner Mitt Romney, saying: “I'm going to pass on that one.”

Winner take all?

State Republican Executive Committee member Weston Martinez of San Antonio is pushing for a long-shot change in awarding Texas delegates that could benefit his favored candidate, Santorum. But Martinez says the move is “bigger than any one candidate.”

If the 152 GOP delegates at stake in the May 29 primary were allocated on a winner-take-all basis, Santorum has said that could be a game-changer for him. Rules currently call for delegates to be allocated based on each candidate's vote percentage.

Martinez said the change would give Texas a bigger voice no matter who wins here: “It allows Texas to totally determine who the nominee is.”